Magical Pants After All: A love for Bridget
by kindredspirits
Summary: It's been some years after the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and the girls are in college. They go to The University of Virginia, and Bridget thinks she's doing fine. What happens when Eric enters her life again?
1. Default Chapter

Bridget sat on her bed in her dorm room. It was comical, actually. It was the first day of her second year at college, and she was still nervous. Not because of classes, or meeting new people, but because she had soccer practice in twenty minutes. Every year since she had played soccer, she felt the tiniest bit of apprehension before starting the season. How people were going to react to her, and what things were going to be like.  
  
"Hey? Off in La-la land again?"  
  
Bridget looked up to see Carmen, her roommate enter. Carmen hadn't changed at all. Her black hair had grown out and layered, so it feel to the middle of her back and up. Carmen was majoring as an engineer (math was math to Bridget, whatever you wanted to call it).  
  
"Yeah, I guess so."  
  
Carmen sat down next to Bridget and slung an arm over her shoulder, and then put on an overly motherly voice.  
  
"Aw, is my wittle Bridget scared? Wat can mommy doooo?"  
  
"Ha ha, Very funny Carma." She rested her head on Carmen's shoulder.  
  
"Soccer starts today."  
  
"Does it now? Hmm…I-Wait! I DID know that. How could I have known that?…. Maybe because SOMEONE keeps TALKING about it."  
  
"Sorry." Bridget looked sheepish.  
  
Just then the door opened again, and Lena walked in wearing a UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA sweatshirt.  
  
"Lena. Does it mean ANYTHING that it's ninety degree's out?"  
  
Bridget asked incredulously. Lena considered for a moment.  
  
"No."  
  
Bridget and Carmen just shook their heads, before scooting over to let Lena sit down.  
  
"So, where's Tibby?"  
  
"She and Mark went out for a walk."  
  
Bridget shook her head in disgust.  
  
"Do you guys know how annoying all of ya'll are?"  
  
Carmen and Lena pretended not to know what she was talking about, but Bridget went on.  
  
"I mean, Tibby and Mark are engaged, and they spend almost all their time together. Lena, you and Justin are ALSO engaged, and you DO spend all your time together. Carma, you and Steven are PRACTICALLY engaged, and you already act as if you're married. It's soooo annoying."  
  
Simultaneously, Lena and Carmen exclaimed:  
  
"We do not act like that."  
  
Bridget just laughed.  
  
"Have it your way, I'm gonna be late."  
  
She grabbed her soccer bag and ran out of the dorm room. After she had gone, Carmen turned to Lena.  
  
"She needs to find someone soon."  
  
Lena nodded sadly.  
  
"She's so alone. After she met HIM, she just kind of gave up."  
  
"She really was in love."  
  
"Yeah. She was."  
  
Like It? Hate it? I love the book, and so I had to write a story of my own.  
  
R & R !!!!!!!!!!!! 


	2. First Day on the Field

Bridget ran onto the field in her Jersey and shorts. Her stunning banana blonde hair glowed in the sunlight. She waved to Dana, another teammate. Together they crossed the field to where the cluster of girls stood. After a few months of not seeing each other, they greeted everyone warmly. Bridget had been the star of the team, even in her freshman year. Ever since that summer in Baja, she had devoted herself to her game. The only thing was that she hadn't set foot in Baja since that summer. While she had been invited back every year since, the memories of those months were too painful to re-live. Her life had been devoted to soccer, and had been on a one-mind track. Guys still flocked to her, but quickly exited her life as soon as they realized she didn't care about them.  
  
"Hey, Vreeland!"  
  
The girls motioned for Bridget to come to the center of the circle where they all told her the latest news.  
  
"I heard, he's soooo cute."  
  
"I heard he played in Brazil for a while."  
  
"No, it was France."  
  
"Woah, woah! What's going on?" Bridget interrupted them all.  
  
Kelly, a blonde girl explained.  
  
"There's a new Assistant Coach. He's only twenty-four, but he's REALLY good, apparently."  
  
"What-"  
  
Bridget was cut off as the coach blew her whistle.  
  
The girls all sat down for the usual long lecture before each season.  
  
"Welcome back to all of our players from last year, and welcome to all of our new players. I'm Coach Anderson, but you know that. Here's the way I run my team. I don't take nonsense. I don't take fooling around. When you're here, you play. You focus. I don't like you going and getting drunk on the weekends…especially on Friday nights before a match. You don't do drugs, you don't take steroids, and you don't give me lip. Understood? Good, cause if not, then you're in for a tough year. I know all your names, and I know your playing capabilities. I scouted you. Today, I just want to see you as you play as a team."  
  
Bridget smiled. This was what she had waited for all summer. Coaching at home had been great, but nothing could beat playing ball with equals. Except…well, maybe playing for the FIFA (I found it somewhere).  
  
"There's one more thing."  
  
Everyone looked at Anderson, their attention rapt.  
  
"I have a new assistant coach this year. Amy Stites has moved to Florida, so we've hired a new one. Meet Eric Richman."  
  
At that moment, Bridget's head snapped up from where she was tying her laces. He was the same. Same dark hair, same eyes, same body, and same smile. The same smile that she had been trying to block from her memory for just over four years. He had grown just a bit, or so it seemed. Somehow, even though he hadn't physically changed, he looked older. He just did.  
  
"Now! I have to go do some scheduling, so I'm leaving you with Richman. I'll be back, and I'll see you play, so don't worry. No heroics. Your positions are with Richman."  
  
With that, Anderson turned her back, and walked off the field. Eric looked over the clipboard he had been handed by Anderson, and took control.  
  
"I'm just as tough as Anderson when I want to be, so don't fool around…" His eyes twinkled, "But have your fun." He winked at them as he read out their positions. One by one, the girls walked to their said positions.  
  
"Abbot, goalie. Sinclair, Right Defender. Moore, Left Defense…"  
  
He stopped for a second as his voice caught on the next name.  
  
"Vreeland…Bridget. Left middie." He had trailed off towards the end, as she stood up and met his eyes. She took the field, and they began to play.  
  
Her mind was on anything but soccer.  
  
  
  
Please R & R. I'm dying for reviews. 


	3. Of Kisses and Slaps

Back! Sorry it took so long! Here it is:  
  
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As they took the field and started playing, there was only one thought in Bridget's head.  
  
WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING HERE!! She didn't need this now. Not this year. Ever since that summer, she had tried to convince herself that it was only summer love; that she had never really loved Eric. She had actually believed that. UNTIL FIVE MINUTES AGO. She remembered all the feelings that she had for him, because they had all came rushing back the moment her eyes met his. Then Bridget did something that she had trained herself to do. She concentrated only on soccer.  
  
"Bee, here."  
  
She got the pass, and took it down the field a bit. She got caught up by a player, and passed. A few seconds later, the ball came back. It went this way before she got the perfect shot and scored.  
  
They practiced for about an hour, with stops in the middle from the coach. Finally, Anderson dismissed them. Usually, Bridget would have found such a short practice annoying, but today Bridget couldn't have had it ended soon enough. The moment she was dismissed, she ran into the locker room and took a shower. She was tired. Focusing to the point of not knowing who was staring at her intensely was tiring. Finally, she got dressed, and left the complex. Outside, in the hallway, he stood waiting. She almost walked past him, before he called out her name. It was so soft, but to Bridget, it was like he had screamed it.  
  
"Hello, Eric. Baja, Cali, wasn't it. You were, a counselor, weren't you?" She acted as if he were a common acquaintance, who she hadn't seen in years, and who she was trying to remember. He didn't by it for a second.  
  
"Don't do this Bee."  
  
"Don't do what?" She feigned ignorance.  
  
"This. Trying to forget. It won't work."  
  
"How the hell would you know that?" She was getting angry now.  
  
"Because. I've been to hell and back too."  
  
"Why? I have know idea what you're talking about."  
  
"God! You think I haven't heard about you? Think I don't know?"  
  
This was getting too personal too fast. Bridget didn't know if she could handle it; her head was spinning.  
  
"Don't know what?"  
  
"You're a wreck, Bee. Everyone knows it."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Think I don't know about your dad dying? About how hard you worked to get here. About how you push yourself so far, that they make you go for weekly check-ups? About your lack of love for life?"  
  
"This is NONE of your business."  
  
"Your bulimia? Anorexia? Your soccer sucks, bee. You're eating yourself up."  
  
She smacked him. Her hand and his face. HE stepped back for a moment, before reacting. As she turned and walked away, he caught her wrist. Pulling her back to him, he kissed her. This was more passionate than their previous kisses. So different. It was like she needed him to survive. Physically, emotionally, and mentally. Soon she responded to the kiss, and they broke away when lack of air parted them. Then she realized what had just happened, and ran away.  
  
"Bee!" she heard him call, but ignored him. 


	4. Small World

"And then he said all this stuff that wasn't true! Anorexia, bulimia! It's all bullshit." Bridget cried her eyes out into Lena's shoulder. "I know, sweetie, I know." "I HATE HIM" "I know. I know." Just then Carmen and Tibby walked in. Tibby whispered to Carmen. "It's been, like, fifteen minutes." "I know" Bridget never cried, and when she did, it NEVER lased long. "Listen, Bee. I'm going to go to Barista's and get you some double fudge latté's. Okay?" Bridget nodded numbly. Lena grabbed her short leather jacket, and left, leaving Carmen and Tibby to comfort the poor girl. ***************Barista's Café*************************** Lena waited in the line at the counter. When it was her turn, she made her order, and so did the person to the left of her, in another line. "Double fudge mocha." They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Lena looked at the man: he was tall, dark hair, brown eyed, and very tan. He looked a bit Mexican. As they waited for their orders, they made shop talk about the store, and life in general. "So, you go to here? University of Virginia, I mean?" "Yeah. I'm majoring in Art expression. You?" "I'm a coach." "Oh. What sport?" "Soccer." Lena was going to mention that she was Bridget's best friend, but thought better to introduce herself first. "Sorry, I'm Lena." "Eric." Lena's eyes got big and she looked at him. Eric seemed to realize the same thing. "You're Soccer camp Baja Eric." "You're Lena who went to Greece." They got their orders, and stood for a second. "Can you join me?" He seemed to be pleading with her. Lena nodded. Bridget could wait.cry her eyes out a bit more before she junked up on caffeine. "About what happened today." They took a seat and Eric started the conversation. "I won't lie to you. Bee is really upset." "It was.unreal. I mean, I've kinda been out of the country: I didn't know she was going to be here. It was like a slap in the face." "I'm sure." "No, you don't understand. I did know she was going to be here, and I know about what has happened since Baja, but.it didn't seem real until I saw her." "A lot has happened." "Yes." "You lost it." "I know." "What are you going to do?" "I don't know." "Do you love her?" Lena asked gently. Eric, with his face in his hands, and his elbows on the table nodded. "I tried to convince myself that it was just silly summer love on the beach, but deep down, I knew it wasn't. The moment I saw her it all came rushing back." "She really died that summer. Messed herself up." "Say what you really mean. I messed her up." "Yes, you did. You couldn't give her what she needed.but it's okay, cause she didn't' know what she needed. Still doesn't." "Tell me what happened." "Her dad and brother died. Brother in a car crash. Dad of.cancer." "Dear god." "She started loosing weight. Stopped eating, but trained harder. Less sleep.in a combination all together." "Yah." "She never really dated after that. I mean, after that summer, and what with her dad and all." "And today I just." "Yes, you screwed up. But.I have to thank you." "What?" "Nobody has ever said that to Bee. She needed it. And coming from you, she might listen." "But it also comes at the price that she hates me." "She was surprised. That's it." "I anticipated seeing her again. For months. I've known about her since last year." "Why don't you tell me the whole story." "Not a big one. I've known Anderson a long time. She told me about her star new player. I knew it was Bee, and I even saw her play once. It was last year. I had just stopped by to see Anderson, before leaving. A friend and I had a deal with a Brazil exchange soccer team program. The entire time I was there, almost a year, I couldn't get her out of my head. She was always in there. I came back, and took the position as Assistant coach. I don't know. It was like she was real for the first time in what? Four? Five years?" "I've wanted to meet you so many times over the years." "I wondered about you. All of you: Tibby, and Carmen also. She spoke of you so fondly, that I knew you guys would be friends for life." "She didn't speak about you at all, but I knew you were always in her thoughts." Eric let out a bitter chuckle. "Isn't that sad? Pathetic even? That we still think about each other?" "I think it's sweet. True love." "Child love." "You certainly did NOT have child love." "So you know about that?" "Me taking her virginity? Eric sounded miserable. "I think it was more like her gladly surrendering it. Even though she regretted it later." "I did the one thing I never wanted to do. I hurt her." "You can make things right." "How the hell?" "Show her that you love her." 


End file.
